This invention relates to a hand printing stamp device having adjacent multiple stamp receiving surfaces such that a plurality of text messages or common annotations may be carried on one device, and the user may thus utilize the same device to print a number of messages on the receiving surface without the necessity of multiple stamp devices.
One prior art device that accomplishes some of these objectives is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 2,176,160 to Uhl, Jr. issued Oct. 17, 1939. Such structure shows a base 1 and a manipulating handle 2 of conventional design for such stamps. In manipulating such handle 2, the human user normally grasps the handle in his or her clenched fist with the handle top either resting in the palm of the hand when the fist is clenched downwardly or with the handle sidewalls engaged with the palm of the user's hand when the fist is clenched in an upright position. Either of these positions is satisfactory when the bottom stamp surface is being utilized; however when the alternate stamp surfaces are utilized, it is difficult to bend one's wrist to manipulate the alternate angular stamp receiving surfaces to a downward printing position on the receiving surface especially the rearward bending necessary to properly align the “B” stamp printing surface. The forward downward bending motion of the wrist is called flexion while the rearward upward motion is called extension. Thus, the motion shown in FIG. 2 would be wrist extension. With such devices, it is common to use different grasping techniques to place different printing surfaces in position for printing such as the fist downward grip shown in FIG. 4. Obviously, it would be desirable to be able to use the same grasping position of the device for each of the alternate stamp positions.
It should also be pointed out that these prior art devices of the Uhl, Jr. type are not ergonomically sound and their repeated clenched fist movement could cause overuse injuries such as carpel tunnel syndrome. These prior art devices are also more difficult for older people or those with arthritic hands and younger or handicapped children and adults to use as the grip is awkward and unnatural.
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a stamping device which can be easily grasped and used by a wide variety of people including young, old and handicapped and which is of an ergonomically sound design so as to reduce the possibility of repeated use injuries.
Accordingly, another of the main objectives of the present invention is to present a device which overcomes these unwieldy grasping motions yet provides a hand printing stamp with alternate adjacent multiple stamp receiving surfaces such that more than one and preferably three print messages may be borne on the same device. This is especially practical for home/business offices, e.g., where documents may be either received or sent and their disposition recorded such as “Filed”, “Received”, “Paid”, “Forwarded”, “Faxed” and the like as of a certain date.
These and other objectives of the present invention are accomplished by a hand printing stamp device having adjacent multiple stamp receiving surfaces and a body constructed such that the device may be conveniently grasped by the hand of the user and manipulated to place each of said stamp receiving surfaces in printing contact with a receiving surface without modifying the grasping position of the user comprising a vertically-oriented body having opposed generally parallel upstanding sidewalls, said body including an upper hand graspable portion and a lower stamp receiving portion including a generally flat laterally extending bottom stamp receiving surface having opposed spaced distal and proximal edges, and at least one adjacent stamp receiving surface upwardly outwardly extending from one of said bottom surface edges.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.